About the Giselle/Mephisto relationship. I was absoluty stunned that he'd taken such a shine to her, but somehow it also felt like he used her somewhat, to be able to step aside from his "profession".

I'm thinking about that he lured Faust to stray away from the mission, making him look the other way when Mephisto let Giselle die and re-unite with her parents in heaven. (And THAT story, about the painting, her legacy so to speak... was only talked about, but really gave me the creeps, brrrr!)

I felt that Mephisto did most everything to suit himself and only allowed himself to care about Giselle because it suit his end and motives. I do wonder though if pure goodness can have a taming effect on the evil spirit of Mephisto. She was the only true good person in the game. I know it's a game but I really felt for her and her loneliness. Nancy

The problem I have here is that we are talking about Mephisto, a very powerful archetype. Mephisto is a demon, not the devil. In Goethe's play, he is obeying the orders of God, his only master. Let's go back to the roots, so to speak

Since thou, O Lord, approachest us once more, And how it fares with us, to ask art fain, Since thou hast kindly welcom'd me of yore, Thou see'st me also now among thy train. Excuse me, fine harangues I cannot make, Though all the circle look on me with scorn; My pathos soon thy laughter would awake, Hadst thou the laughing mood not long forsworn. Of suns and worlds I nothing have to say, I see alone mankind's self - torturing pains. The little world - god still the self - same stamp retains, And is as wondrous now as on the primal day. Better he might have fared, poor wight, Hadst thou not given him a gleam of heavenly light; Reason, he names it, and doth so Use it, than brutes more brutish still to grow. With deference to your grace, he seems to me Like any long - legged grasshopper to be, Which ever flies, and flying springs, And in the grass its ancient ditty sings. Would he but always in the grass repose! In every heap of dung he thrusts his nose.

The Lord

Hast thou naught else to say/ Is blame In coming here, as ever, thy sole aim? Does nothing on the earth to thee seem right?

Mephistopheles

No, Lord! I find things there, as ever, in sad plight. Men, in their evil days, movemy compassion; Such sorry things to plague is nothing worth.

Hi,I come a bit late in the discussion,but I just have to say that I loved Faust.It was dark,and very thoughtful,a welcome change from most games,which might be enjoyable,but offer very little food for thought.Keep up the good work!

No you're not, JENNY100. I detected some wry humor in him and even a bit of sentimentality. As I am sure ARXEL_STEPHEN knows, whatever a poet produces, once it is published, its interpretation is no longer in his hands. I am sure many a poet has wondered, "How did they get that idea out of my poem!"

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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. -- Aristotle